For folks who have transitioned from an office to job to work-from-home, it’s hard to overstate how much has changed.
Gone are the days of endless traffic jams, getting home late, and being stuck talking with Steve when you really (like really) need to get back to work.
But while there are some things you probably won’t miss, there were lots of great things about the office too—things that could have an impact on your career growth if you don’t find ways to adapt.
Networking used to be almost effortless—you could actually end up talking to people by accident, and sometimes those conversations could land you a shot at an interesting project or maybe even a new role.
It’s a bit harder to do that when you’re taking Teams calls from your coffee table in shorts and a T-shirt from an 80s hair metal band.
So…how do you get ahead when you’re far away? Here are a few tips.
Network actively
Everyone’s busy in today’s remote workplace (and even if they aren’t, they probably want to look busy). That can make it hard to connect.
But! According to Tracy Bowers (PhD) over at Forbes, every opportunity to connect could be good for your career:
“It is the human condition to pay attention to things which are more immediate and people who are more available…Mere exposure tends to increase good reactions. You’ll be more likely to enjoy a food if you’re tasted it more often or admire a painting style when you’ve had more exposure to it. The effect is true for people as well. When you have more contact with a person, you’ll tend to feel more positively toward them.”
Put simply, networking is a math game, and more is always more. Even if you do good work and get things in on time, there’s no replacement for talking with people.
While you can’t guarantee that a given chat will lead to an opportunity, you can be sure what happens when you don’t talk to anyone—nothing at all!
Cameras on
If your company generally likes to keep cameras off (for all kinds of reasons, I’m sure), there’s probably not much point in showing up to that company-wide call at 3:00 with a crisp white shirt and a smile in a sea of white names on black backgrounds.
But that one-on-one with your colleague, or a small meeting with your intact team—why not try camera on? It’ll give you a chance to be yourself and connect with colleagues.
Remember: remote work takes away opportunities for connection; if all you bring to work is a voice and some words in Teams/Slack chat, there is literally less of you going to work. Turning on that camera lets more of you show up and make an impression, whether that means making personal connections or making an impression on your manager.
Put up your hand and be responsive
Imagine this: you’re at your office, furiously hitting keys to finish a proposal. Then, you get a “tap tap” on your cubicle from Karen in finance, and she’s got a project you might be able to help with. A quick chat later and you’ve got a chance to learn a new part of the business while showing off your skills. Boom!
Now what if, instead of being at the office, you’re on your couch eating corn chips reading emails, wondering if the cat is meowing because she needs food, or because she’s bored. Karen’s just gonna do it herself.
Very different situations. Very different opportunities. For you and your cat.
The solution? Be responsive when people reach out. Seek out opportunities to help when your capacity allows.
The more you deliver when asked and the more you reach out, the more opportunities you’ll have. Let people know you’re there.
Don’t skip the small talk
We’re all human (except for the AI overlords, I guess they’re probably not)—and that means we like having social experiences that make us feel connected to coworkers and reduce stress. It also means we’re more likely to help someone we like rather than someone we don’t know.
Carve out some social time with your coworkers by scheduling lunches or work-adjacent chats (like a casual discussion of industry trends). Not only will you get to know your teammates, but you’ll help create cohesion while showing management that you’re invested in your team’s wellbeing.
Do you love working remotely but you’re stuck in an office? Or are you a remote worker looking to reconnect in person?
Check out raise.jobs for a wide range of in-person and remote opportunities. No matter how you like to work, we could have the perfect job for you!
